Yes, we all remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine convinced Jerry to buy J. Peterman’s "small men’s carryall" so he’d have a place to stash his girlfriend’s lipstick.

"It’s not a purse. It’s European," Elaine said, to sway a hesitant Jerry.

The next generation of men’s carryalls are neither small nor murse-like nor meant for carrying makeup. They’re stylish, overtly masculine, and large enough to hold an arsenal of baby necessities — chew toys for teething emergencies; swim diapers for trips to the pool.

The new mantra might be: it’s not a diaper bag. It’s a man bag. And Calgary dads are taking them up in arms and toting them with pride.

Calgary-based online retailer Babybot (babybot.com) recently named the man bag the No. 1 hottest baby trend for fall. In the last six months, Babybot co-owner Renee Bender has seen a surge of men buying their own bags, in styles from grey flannel satchels to chocolate brown pleather "mail courier" bags.

"They like the style of it, they like the look of it, they like the fashion statement, especially if it’s masculine," says Bender, whose husband carries one emblazoned with an orange biplane. Bender’s business partner, Michael Tran, also carries a man bag, the Petunia Pickle Bottom Scout.

"Dads are packing them up fairly lightly and keeping them on standby for when they go out with the kids," she explains.

Five years ago it was all about getting a designer diaper bag for mommy. Daddy just crammed stuff into a plastic Safeway bag when he flew solo with the kids. This ad hoc bag wasn’t stylish, but it worked. So what’s changed?

For one thing, celebrity dads such as Brad Pitt, David Beckham and Seal started carrying man bags. For another, today’s dads are way more involved in baby gear research, helping to choose strollers, car seats, cribs and now diaper bags. The new man bags are just gadgety enough to hold them in thrall, Bender says.

What’s more, "I think dads are trying to give mom a break, especially now since so many moms are breastfeeding," she adds.

If dad takes the kids to the Calgary Zoo or Heritage Park — by himself — he may as well put all the gear into a cool and functional bag, preferably one that lets him have both hands free.

The baby gear retailer displays its man bags in a corner so dads can try them on in privacy and "not be intimidated," says Lowther.

But dads in the market for a diaper bag are confident in their sense of style and identity, and couldn’t care less if their man bag raises an eyebrow or two.

As Bechthold says, it’s a matter of necessity.

"How else are you going to carry the stuff?" he wonders. Besides, any dad who’s ever faced the "triple threat" of a hungry, tired and soiled child — without a man bag at hand — will be more humbled by the dire situation than by carrying a diaper bag, even if it’s pink.

"If it was pink, it would have to be salmon (coloured), because salmon’s a tough fish," Bechthold muses.

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